Trilogi

Kora; 2010

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It's easier to seem resourceful when you're working with slender means, as any glo-fi upstart could tell you. But this Swedish ensemble, centered around the LK's Fredrik and Lindefelt, is sophisticated and ingenious. Trilogi,a collection of three limited-edition EPs doubling as a sophomore LP, has a sneaky, consistent sound that's immediate and yet full of surprises. The glinting guitar and twisty vocal harmonies of opening track "Vinterbarn" establish the album's gusty cadence, but piano ornaments keep it from stagnating. The songs finally begin to run together in the final third or so, but it's gorgeous and clever throughout.

Massed, ethereal singing dominates, half the time in wordless harmonies; the other half in winsome folk-pop verses. It's indebted to Scandinavian folk music, but might remind North American listeners of Thom Yorke, or Neil Young at his most otherworldly-- especially on the lingering "Milo". Fredrik rely heavily on finger-picked arpeggios, textured finely with reverb effects. Minimal electronic rhythms pulse through lean, cavernous arrangements. There are waltzes and ballads, chased with trip-hop and synth-pop. The songs come together like puzzles, the pieces scattered on the floor and gradually snapped together in way that feels both meticulous and organic.

Fredrik's best songs have the haunting depth of medieval folk and the towering, evolving feel of post-rock. The sound quality is always pristine-- you can tell they slaved over each part to get it just right. Their guitars plink and ripple like thumb pianos. Mournful horns and cellos blur into eerie digital loops. A couple of songs seamlessly turn folk into Notwist-style electronic anthems: "Holm" does so by cranking up epic bass synths, "Flax" with pillowy beats and aquatic themes. It's forceful, sensuous music with a refreshing clarity of intention. And if you don't mind an emphasis on tone over hooks, it's very rewarding.